BA apparently cancelled our flights - should we be entitled to a refund?

[mumoverseas]

I've just heard that apparently BA are cancelling lots of flights on the route we use which they've only been running for 3 months! DH has checked on their website and it is now showing no flight for that day despite the fact we've booked and paid and picked up tickets. We booked abroad (where currently living) and the travel agents there are rubbish and said that we will just be transferred to another day. This doesn't work for us as we have 2 DCs in boarding school in the UK and it was a major military operation to sort out dates to fly back in December and pick them up. Surely we should be entitled to a full refund to enable us to rebook with a reliable airline on the day we need to fly?

Views appreciated

I've had this before with Ryanair - they offered flights on another route (which didn't suit us) or a full refund. If Ryanair would do that I'm sure BA would too

Ryanair offered me a full refund just for changing the time of a flight, so I'm sure you would be entitled yes.

Contact BA's customer service directly. In my experience they are pretty good on the old refunds.

thanks for replies. The problem we are having is that we booked via a travel agent in the Middle East who don't seem to give a stuff.

DH has just spoken to BA who confirmed that they did cancel our flight but have put us on the one the next day (didn't bother telling us and would they have done if we didn't phone up?)
That is no good for us as we have to collect DCs 1 and 2 the day we were flying back and we can't have them alone in the UK for 24 hours. DH therefore is trying to get us on the flight the day before we were due to fly which is a pain as it means we've got to change our plans and he has to take more time off work. Very unimpressed with BA at the moment. As its over the Christmas period all the other flights are full so we are stuck with BA by the looks of it

BTW, interesting to read the positive comments ref Ryanair. We were thinking of going to Ireland for a few days in September and a lot of people warned us not to go Ryanair but sounds like they are more helpful than BA

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thanks for that MissSunny. Will look at Aer Lingus, hopefully they fly from LGW as we only live 5 mins away.

Ref BA main problem seems to be the fact that the travel agents are bloody lazy and can't be arsed to sort it all out so we are having to try to go direct to BA (who then say go via agent!) Bloody PITA. We would prefer to go direct through airlines but we have to go through the agents due to my DH's contract as the travel allowances form part of it.

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mumoverseas the agent has to wait for notification from the airline directly, before they provide alternatives or refunds to the clients. If you book direct it is all handled differently, not always better.

Last year I booked with VAlantic direct who cancelled my route and even though I'd paid in full when I booked, I had to wait 6 weeks for my refund from them.

Airlines have to offer an alternative flight 1st of all, this may even be with a different airline. If the flight alternative is not suitable you should get a full refund. Most good agents will happily refund you before they get the refund from the airline. After all it's your money.